Machine for making shoe laces and the like



G. H. ARMITAGE.

' MAGHIIIIE FOR MAKING HOE'LACES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1918. I

I Patented July 25, 1922.

9 SHEETS-SHEET I.

7/ v N. mmm. do SNN ai. h C @N .WI w \\\..J Hu my TFH I o m: e Q2.. MAK@l. I@ A M f, @Q nvm:

,NAN

oooqoooowwoooooo,

y G. H. ARMHAGE. 'MACHINE F03 ,MAKING sHoE LAcEs AND THELIKE.

i APPucATloN man ssPLzo, 191s. A

Patented July 25, 1922.'

9 SHEETS-SHEETv 2.

G..H. ARMITAGE. MACHINE PoR-MAKING SHOE LAcEs AND THE LIKE. y

9 SHEETS-SHEET a.

Patented J u1?,T 25, 1922.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20. 1918.

G. H. ARNIITAGE.

l MACHIN FOR MAKING SHOE LACES 'AND THE'LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED sEPLzo. 191s.

mmemuly 2.5;1922 l 9 sIIEEfs'is-HEEI 41 G.- H. ARMlTAG-E. 4MACHINE FORMAKING SHOE LACES AND THE LIKE.

kAPPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1918.

' Patented July 25, E922.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

lHHHHl G. H. ARMITAGE.

MACHIN FOR MAKING SHOE LACES AND.THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2o. 1918.

394.398@ y Patented July V25, 1922.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

G. H. ARMITAGE.

MACHINE FOR MAKING SHOE LACES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION man SEPT. 2o, 191s. E 15,423,984, Patented July 25, 1922.

9 SHEETS-SHEET I.

062 efwe/ G. H. ARMITAGE.

MACHINE FOR MAKING SHOE LACES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2o, I9I8.

- Patented July 25,1922.

9 SHEETS--SHEET 8.

e. H. ARMITAGE. MACHINE FOR MAKING SHOE LACES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.20, 1918.

Patenatul'y 25, 1922.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

xIIIII To all whom t may concern.'

" UNITED sra-'ras GEORGE H. 'AEIIITAGE or LINCOLN, nHoDE ISLAND,AssIGNon To UNITED LACE a.

BRAID MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or AUBURN, IN THE TowN IsaIIoDE ISLAND, ACORPORATION or RHODE ISLAND.

PATENT orifice.

0F CRANSTON- MACHINE Eon IIAHING s'HoE LACEs AND THE LIKE Speciiica'tionof Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1922.

Application filed September 20, 1918. Serial No. 254,991.

Be it vknown that I, GEORGE H. ARMITAGE, a subject to the King of GreatBritain, residing at Lincoln in the `county of Providence and State oflhode lsland, have invented certain new and useful .Improvements inMachines for -Making Shoe Laces and the like, 'of which the following isa speciiication.

Y This invention relates to machines for making shoelaces and thelikeand it has for its object to lprovide an improved machine of this kind.l

The invention consists `of a' machine for making shoe laces and the likecharacterized by the peculiar features of construction and modeof-operation set forth in the following description and particularlypointed out and delined in the claims at the close thereof.

The invention further consists 'in certain features-of construction,combinations and arrangements of parts more particularly pointed out inthe description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings .Figure l'is a front elevation of a machinefor making shoe laces and the llike embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of machine shown in Fi re 1.

Figure 3 is a' detail relating t`o the control `a portion of themechanism.

Figure-4 is a front elevation, on larger scale, of a portion of themachine shown in Fi ures 1 and 2.

igure 5 is a in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail relating to the shuttle control mechanism.

Figure 7 is a section on line 7-7 of.Figures4and13-j 'l Figure 8 isa'sectional view of one of the transfer members hereinafter described.

Figure 9 is a side elevation of one of the anchors hereinafterdescribed.'v

Figure 10 is a front elevation of the shuttle hereinafter described.

Figure 11 is a section on line 11-11 of Figures 4 and 45. l

Figure 12 is a section on line 12--12 of Figure 13 is a section on line13-13 of Fi ure 7.

igure 14 is an elevation of-a portion of plan view of the parts shownthe structure shown. from the left.

Figure 15 is a section on line 15--15 of Fi re 17.

igure 16 is a section on line 16-16 of Figure 15. Y

Figure 1'? isa section on line 17---17v of Fi ure 13. Y l

igure 18 is an elevation of the clutch shipper lever hereinafterdescribed.

Figure 19 is a sectional detail illustrating the operationof thecrimping or beading blades.

Figure 2O shows a portion: of the cord or lace with a metal tube appliedthereto, the latter being shown in its condition before it is acted uponby the beading blades as in Fi ure 19.

igure 21 is a section on line 21-4-21 of in Figure 13, viewed vFi re 22.

igure 22 .is a front elevation, with arts ofthe frame removed, of aortion o the machine showing the beading ladesand adjacent parts.

Figures 23, ation of the tipping dies.

Figure 26 is a sectional detail of the metal cutting and tip applyingmechanism.

Figure 37 is a sectional detail of the beadsents va measured stretchthereof to mecha- 'nism which wraps a piece of sheet metal around thesame in a tubular shape, said '--metal wrapping having a length' equalto twice the length of one of the tips referred to. After this tubeapplying operation, the metal tube surrounding the cord is crimpedannularly or beaded, as it is called, to fasten the metal tube to thecord and the latter and `24: and 25 illustrate the oper-I the metal tubeare cut transversely at the middle of said tube, vthus completing oneend of each of two laces simultaneously.

The metal strip, shown at A, is intermittently fed forward from asupplyrol-l (not shown) by two feed rolls 173 and 176 each `provided at itsends with integral' trunnions supported in bearings. The trunnions .ofthe lower feed roll 176 are journaled in fixed bearings on the trame ofthe machine while the trunnions o the upper feed roll 173 are journaledin bearings in' cylindrical blocks 174 slidable vertically inchambersprovided in the frame ot the machine and yieldingly ressedtoward the lower roll 176 by springs. he trunnion 17 3a of the lowerroll 176 is eX- tended to the outside of the trame and has fixed upon ita ratchet wheel 318, Figures and 14:, en aged by a spring pressedvdetent 317 pivota l mountedupon the tiene of the `machine, an by a pawl317 pivotally mounted y u on an arm 316& projecting .from the hub i o asegment 316 loosely mounted upon said 20 172- is connected by strap 170with van eccentric 168 fast on the main shaft 102. A spring 171ayieldingly urges yrack-bar 171 downwardly so that said bar Vrises andfalls with lever 172 as the latter is vibrated by eccentric 168..

'The main cam shaft 102 makes one revolution for each series ofoperations which results in the presentation of a stretch of the lcordto the tube ap lying mechanism, the

application of a meta tube to said cord and the transferer the stretchof'cord with the.

ing

.tube upon it to thel crim ing and cutting mechanism, said lastmentioned' mechanism being also automatically' operated once dureachrotation of the main cam shaft 102,-but 'acting uponthe tube'and cordtransl tlonso the main cam shaft 102. lt will be .ferred tosaidcrimpinggand cutting mecha- 'g5 nism during the preceding rotation`of the main .cam shaft ,102. Thus the complete c cleP of the machineinvolves two revoluclear also that duringfeach revolution of the maincam shaft the`rack-bar. 171 is raised and lowered once, 'and that theVupward movement of the rack'bar when thus `lifted byxthe lever 172 'actsthrough segment 316,

m1111316, pawl 317 andk ratchetwheel318 to i partially-rotate the lowerfeed 'roll' 17 6 and feed the lmetal strip A; forward a measureddistance .determinedby `the adjustment of y n uts 171?, .provided V upontheupperend .of

rack bar`17 1,. said nuts 'co-.operating with an n f ear l180aprojecting from the .top section 180 l of 'the frame to limit thedownward mo@- Iment'of'the-bar.

's This Vfeeding movementv isfinparted to. the

.y t metallstrip.ngatj'the startet theserie's'of"'.-aoerationsjreterredto, andactsto move thel 'against rotativedisplacement @X00 t 4when nance endof `the strip orwardfihto 'posiscrew197. 'rotatably renacer tion immediately above a vertically movable diemember 183, Figures. 11 and 26. The die member 183 is made with atransverse cutting edge 183n co-operating with a cutting f die edge182a-provided upon a stationary rame member 182 fixed in position onthe' of the machine.'

As the metal strip A is advanced as described a stretch of the cord,drawn from the supply, is placed in position across the front 'of themachine by a reciprocating shuttle or carriage 281, Figures 1, 2, 7 and10, so that it occupies the position indicated at Z) in Figures 11 and12, after which the 'die member 183 moves upwardly, cutting a measuredlength from the end of metal strip A and wrapping said severed lengtharound the cord as illustrated in Figures 23, 2d and 25. Afterperforming the cutting and wrapping operations illustrated in saidfigures the die member 183 is lowered and the cord with the metal tubeupon it is transported bodil. sidewise from the position at b to thepositlon indicated at b in Figure 11.where it remains unacted upon untilthe next series of operations ofthe machine occur.

'The path of .the stretch of the cord when thus moved bodily sidewisefrom position b to position-b" is indicated by arrows in Figure 11.' J.

During/each series of operations of the machine, and at about the sametime that the die member 183 is-f actuated to cut the metal clip A andwrapthe cut-off portion around the card as described, avertically'movable 'slide 249 is actuated and acts, through theinstrumentalities described later, to crimp or bead themetal tube ontothe cordthat was` left at position b during the preceding series ofoperations, and to sever the cord and tube at ,the middleof thelatter soas to simultaneously complete ends of two laces. A

, The ldie member 183 is mounted upon and moves with a verticallymovable slide l185 connected at its lower end, by a pair of links 201,with a lever made-up of two relatively .adjustable but `rigidlyconnected sections or parts 188 and'195, Figures 11 and 26. The leversection. 188 is fulcru'med upon a crossbar 189 and carries 'a cam rollco-operating with ya cam 187 fast on main cam shaft 102. The .leversectionv is pivotally connected to section. 188 at 196, one arm of thesection 195 carrying alswiveled cylindrical nut 200 engaged by thethreaded end ot a Screww197 has a smooth shank .the head ofthe screw 197and a star wheel 197 fastened tosaid shank. This star or 'pawl 2197"which serves to hold the screw *manually and forcibly rotated or pur-'mounted in -a hole provided "ratchet wheel is engaged by a springpressed than the blades 218.

oses of adjustment. Cam 187 acts through ever 18S-195 and the pair oflinks 201 to raise slide 185 and die member 183 that'is carried'thereby, while another cam 204 immediately adjacent cam 187 acts througha lever 205, link 206 and links 201 to positively lower slide 185 anddie member 183. Lever 205 is fulcrumed upon a cross-bar 217 supported atits ends by the frame section 101. As additional means to assist cam 204l provide a spring 193a acting through a pushv rod 193 upon the pivotpin 196, said push rod being pivotally connected with a pin 196 at oneend and having its other end slidably mounted in a hole providedtransversely through a rod 193" journaled at its ends in bearings on`frame section 101. rlhis rod 193" serves also as an abutment for oneend of the spring 1932 rlhe lower end of the slide 249 has pivotallyconnected to it the upper ends of seven -links 222, Figures 22 and 27,whose lower ends are pivotally connected to one arm of a three-arm lever216 fucrumed upon a cross-bar 217. Another of the arms of this levercarries a cam roll engaging a lifting cam 215 fast on main cam shaft102. The third depending arm of this lever 216 cooperateswith-a returncam 225. The cam ,215 acts through lever 216 and links 222 to llowerslide l249 while the cam 225, assisted by a spring 221", acts throughsaid lever and links to return said slidevto its upper position again atthe proper time. The spring 221 is mounted upon a push rod 221"pivotally connected at its upper end with lever 216 and guided at itslower'end by a crossbar 221 journaled at its ends in bearings on theframe section 101, said cross-bar servingv as an abutment for one end ofthe spring.

The slide 249 carries a set of beading blades disposed upon the slide intwo groups 214" and 218, the blades 214a being longer Between the twogroups 214a and 218a is provided a cuttin blade 214 of thesame length asthe blades o group 2143. The blades of these two groups are locked toslide 249 so as to move vertically with the latter by a key or rib 250that is a rigid part of the slide 249, and are held against the slideand in engagement with this key or rib by a face plate 209 that is partof the frame of the machine. Immediately belowthe blades 214 and'218a isanother set of blades disposed in two groups 214" and 4 218", the blades218" being longer than the blades 214" and co-operating with the blades218a while lthe blades 214" co-operate with the blades 2145. Between thetwo groups 214" and 218" is arranged a cutting blade 214c cooperatingwith blade 214 of slide.249. With the exception of the three middleblades of each set, Vthe'blades are spaced'apart. a distancecorrespondinggg' to the desired distance between the crimps that theblades are to produce when they act upon the metal tube at position b.

The two middle blades 214 and 214c are otl'set so that when the slide249 is lowered the lower end of the blade 214 passes beyond the upperend'of blade 214c and close vto the ylatter with the result that the twoblades act as .cutters and sever the metal tube and cord at' that pointjust before the other blades of the two sets come together and crimp themetal tube. 0f course the two blades 214 Y and 214 are. substantially inthe same vertical plane with the medial line of the strip A so thatafter a section of the latter has been removed from the advance end ofthe strip, woundaround the cord andcarried with the latter into theposition at b', the two blades referred to will sever the metal tube andcord at a point midway of the length of the tube. The cutting blades 214and 214c co-operate,

respectively, with the two innermost short blades 214" and 218a to crimpthe extremities of the two tips produced by the severance of the metaltube and cord.v 4"

rl`he blades of the lower set are ifastened to a bladeA holder212-provided upo'n its under side with. an oblique 'iff-shaped tongueoccupying-a T-sha dslot formed longitudinally but oblique y in a roundbar 210 slidably mounted within a cylindrical bore provided in the framesecti'n 101. The ends of the bar 210 are reduced and screw-threadedvtoreceive upon them nutsy 211, Figure 22, which, vwhen tightenedup,}against the outside of frame section 101 hold-bar 210 against Bymeans of these endwise displacement'. nuts 211, thebar 210 can beshifted endwise to adjust the holder 212 and the blades carried thereby,vertically, the oblique disposition of the tongue and groove connectionbetween the bar and holder serving to move the latter up or downaccording to the direction in which the bar is moved.

The means for transferring the cord bodily from position b to posltionb' includes a pair Vof members 253 and 254, the former being fast on ashaft 153 and the latter fast on a shaft 154. These two shafts -are inalinement relatively and are also alined with the center of the curvedpath, in-

' dicated by the arrows in Figure 11, through llaceends are freed andfall away from the beading mechanism by gravity.y Each movins able jawhas pivotally connected to it one end of a link 259 that is connected atits other end with a spring pressed plunger 261 mounted, together withits spring, Within a pclicket formed in the transfer member.

hen the movable jaw isshifted from one extreme position to the other,the pivotal connection between said jaw andthe link 259 is carried froma position at one side of the direction of thrust of the plunger into aposition vat the other side thereof. Thus it will be clear that thespring pressed plunger serves to hold the movable jaw either of its twopositions. v

' The two transfer members 253`and 254 are intermittently actuated andwhen they come to rest one pair of jaws of each is, as shown in Figure7, in open condition-.and'in position to receive between them the`stretch of 'cord' that is laid across'the machine bythe shuttle 281immediately preceding .the 4operation of the die member 183. During thetravel of the shuttle across the machine, the two open jaws of thetransfer members are automatically closed as soon as the shuttle passesthe second transfer member.

A At the completion of theA operationof the.

' shafts. One of the gears 15.5 is engaged by a gear 156 secured to ashaft-158 journaled inl bearings Aon the frame section lOl and the othergear 155: is enga Aed' bya ear 157 fast upon'the opposite en -oi sha158` The gear 156 is formed uponits outer face with lugs 156, whichprovide radial slotsto cooperate with a roll 162A carried by a gear 159.Gear 159 is mounted upon a stud shaft 160 and driven through an idler165 b a gear 164 fast on mainshaft 102. The ub of gear 164 is made witha radial lug 164a adapted to bear against a stop dog 115, Figure 7,pivotally mounted upon a stud 116 and held at its free end in the pathof lug 164a by a spring pressed plunger` 117. Dog 115 is formed with adependin arm or finger co-operating with a cam sur ace119 p-rovided upona slide bar 119 mounted on frame section 101. rllhisslide barv is actedupon by a spring 119d which normally urges said bar in the direction ofthe arrow, Figure 3. Near its middle theslide bar 119 is embraced by ayoke 120 which co-Operates with two collars 119b fast on slide bar 119,said yoke being shaft 125 provided at its outer end with a handle 124.`From the hub of yoke 120 lprojects a pin 120% (zo-operating with oneendA itself pinned to the inner end of a f1 ,aeeeee hub of a gear 109.Between the fianges of hub 113 and of sleeve 1124 is arranged aspring1-13", Figure 7 which abuts at one end against avpin carried byhub 113 and at its opposite end against a pin carried by sleeve 112.Sleeve 112is also provided with a radially projecting lug 112c adaptedto engagethe'end of stop dog 115 alongside of the lug'164"'of hub 113.AThe hub 113 yis keyed to shaft 102, but the sleeve 112 is-loose on thehub 113, so that it will vbe clear that when dog 115 is raised out ofthe path oft lugsl 164a and 112c the spring 113b will act to rotatesleeve 112, the rolls 112h moving with the latter within the camVpockets 112 on hub'113 in a direction to cause the rolls to clutchl thecontinuously driven gear 109. to

.the hub 113 which is keyed to the shaft 102.

Vlhen it is desired to start 'the machine,-

`the handle 124 is thrown to the left4 causing yoke 120 to ,shift slidebar 119 toward the left where it is caught and held by the latch i lorpawl` l126.v This movement ot slide bar 119 toward theleft causes thecam surface 1198*. of saidbar to lift stopiv dog'115 outof the paths oflugs 112c and 164a which results in clutching' gear 109 to the hub 113and releasing. shaft 102. By throwing handle 124 toward the right, pin1120a will act through lever 127 to retract the pawl or latch' 126whereupon spring 119a will throw'slide bar 119 'toward the right withthe Aresult that stop dog 115 is returned into the path of lugs'164 and112% so that as soon asl said lugs engage said dog, the gear 109 isunclutched, and, through the engagement -of i.

lug 164a with dog 115, further rotation .of shaft 102 is prevented.-

lt will be clear that for each revolution of shaft 102 the gears 156 and157 are rotated 90o and since the ratio of said gears 156 and 157 andgear 155 is'two to one, the shafts 153 and 154 will be moved 180 eachtime the gears 156 .and 157 are rotated 90.

The shuttle 281 is equipped with trucks 282 mounted upon a rail 291 thatis fastened at its. ends to brackets 277 and 278 projecting from asub-frame section 279 that is secured to the top of a lstandard 314. Toone side of shuttle 281 is secured one end of a cable 281t1 whichextends around a pulle or roll 285 mounted upon the outer en of bracket278 and thence around a drum 320 secured to the upper end of a verticalldisposed shaft 140, Figures 2, 13, and 17 om neeaeea drum 320, the cable281a extends around another pulley 285, mounted on the outer end ofbracket 277 and thence back to carriage 281 again to which the other endof sald cord is fastened. The drum 320 is intermittently rotated, firstin one direction and then in the opposite direction, and acts throughthe cable 281iL to move shuttle 281 back and forth ,from one side of themachine to the other, said shuttle moving across the machine, onceforeach revolution of main cam shaft 102.

The cord B from which the laces are made, is led from an elevated guide,not shown, down through a guide eye 281b on shuttle 281 and thencebetween guide rolls 284 at the lower end of said shuttle to one Ior theother of two anchors-153'l or 154a each anchor are brought successivelyiifto position immediately to the rear of the .stretch of cord that islaid across the machine by the carriage 281.

rilhe movable jaws 255 of transfer members 253 and 254 are formed withtail pieces co-operating with two jaw-closing segments 263, Figures 5and 7, engaged by segments 268. There are two pairs of segments` 263 and268, one at each side of the machine,` one pair co-operating with themovable jaws of the transfer member 253, and the othercooperating withthe movable jaws of the transfer member 254. The segments 263 arepivotally supported near the path of the tailv pieces of the movablejaws by studs projecting from the frame of the machine, while thesegments 268 are fast upon the opposite ends of a shaft 265 journalednear its ends in bearings on the frame of the machine. Shaft 265 carriesa pinion 267 engaged by a rack bar 269 whose lower end is held inengagement with a lever 272 by a spring 2692` Lever 272 is pivotallysupported at 2-72El and carries a cam roll engaged by a cam 271 on mainsh'aft 102. While the stretch of cord a occupies position @Figure 11,and immediately after the shuttle 281 in moving across the machine,ypasses the second transfer member 253 or 254, the cam 271 acts througha lever 272, rack bar 269, shaft 265, and segments 268 and 263 to closethe uppermost movable jaws of the transfer members 253 and 254. Afterthe die member 183 has been raised and lowered to cut and wrap the pieceof sheet metalaround the stretch of shuttle 281.

severed ends of the laces to fall by gravity.`

When the transfer members move from position b toward position b', theanchors 153l1 and 154a also move around at the same time engaging thecord and crossing the path along which said cord is stretched by theNow, when carriage 281 is moved back to the opposite side of the machineagain, the cord is wrapped around the anchor which it first passes, saidcord then extending from position b', where it is held by the jaws ofthe transfer members, to the last mentioned anchor, around the latterand then back across the machine at position b to the shuttle 281. n

The shaft 14'0 which carries the shuttle actuating drum 320 has 4splinedupon it a clutch member 129 co-operating with a bevel gear 130b locatedbeneath said clutch member and a bevel gear 130 located above saidclutch member, the adjacent faces of said gears are engaged and drivenby a thirdA bevel gear 142 whose shaft 14211 carriesy at its outer end aear 312 driven byl a pinion 312al fast on t e outer end of the shaft 143of a bevel gear 143 that is in mesh with a bevel gear 145 fast on mainshaft 102. Clutch member 129 is engaged by shipper 136 having an arm136d occupying a position between two springs 136t and 136E within atube 241 slidably mounted in position on the frame.

The tube 241 is engaged by the upper end of a lever 239 fulcrumed at 240on a stud projecting from the frame, said lever being formedwith a yokeembracing an eccentric 238 fixed on a short shaft 235 journaled inbearings on the frame. Shaft A235 has a gear 236 fast on it that isdriven by a pinion 237 fast on main shaft 102, the shaft 235 makingone-half ofa. revolution for each revolution of main shaft 102, andacting through eccentric 238 and lever 239 to slowly reciprocate thetube 241 endwise. The tube 241 is shifttation of mam shaft 102, thuscausing the springs within the tube 241, acting against arm 136", toyieldingly urge the shipper 136 first in one direction and then in theopposite direction.

The length of travel of the shuttle 281 iny either direction is limitedby the engagement of the latter with one or the other of two blocks 298fastened by screws toa bar 296 that is slidably mounted upon the frontside of rail 291. This slide bar 296'is formed vwith a series of tappedscrew holes to pro vide for adjustment of the blocks 298 lengthwisethereof so that the distance traveled by the shuttle 2 81 may be variedaccording to the length of lace desired. y

Upon the rear side of slide 296 is fastened a rack 304, Figure 5,4engaging a segment 302V ure 6) holds the slide bar 297 in anintermediate or neutral position with the cam recess 300a in anintermediate position, leaving bolt 231 free to be held projected and inoperative position by its spring. During the travel of the shuttle 281across the ma.-

' chine in either direction, clutch member 129 is held locked inengagement with one of the gears 1301, or 130D-, through the engagementof bolt 231 with shipper 136, and at the same time eccentric 238 ismoving yoke 239 and barrel 241 in a direction to move the shipper 136into neutral position, but since said shipperlis locked at one extremeof its movement by bolt 231 the only result of this endwise movement ofbarrel 241 is to comress one of the springs Within said barrel.

hen, however, the shuttle 281 reaches the end of its travel and, throughits engagement with one of the blocks 298, moves slide bar 296 endwisethe movement of rack 304 therewith acts through segment 302, shaft 300and lever 227 to retract bolt 231 and free shipper 136. When thus freedthe shipper 136 is-thrown into neutral position by the barrel springthat was compressed acting against arm 136, said shipper being stoppedand locked at neutral position by another spring pressed bolt 231. Bolt231a is engaged by a bell-crank lever 229 fulcrumed on bracket 23() andco-operating with a pair of cams 233 fast on shaft 235, said cams being180 apart and acting to retract bolt 231a once during each revolution ofmain cam shaft 102, at the completion of each revolution of the latterand immediately after the transfer members 253 and 254 have been moved180 to carry the just delivered stretch of cordfrom position b toposition b.

It will thus be clear thatl the bolt 231 serves to lock the shipper ineither extreme position and is automatically controlled b the shuttle soas to unlock the shipper an permit one or the other'of the springswithin 1 ,assess tracted by one of the cams 233 actingthrough bell-crank239, said spring'will continue the movement of the shipper into itsopposite extreme position'where it will be locked by the bolt 231 assoon as the shuttle 281 has moved reversely far enough to permit themeans at 291b to restore slide bar 296 to its neutral or intermediateposition. rlhe purpose, then, o'f the bolt 2311 and its controlling andoperating devices is to synchronize the movements of the shuttle withrelation to the movement of the main cam shaft 102 by effecting thestart of the travel of the shuttle in either direction at the same,moment during each revolution of the main cam shaft4 regardless ofmis-timing' occ'asioned by the movement of clutch member .129 into andout of engagement with gears 130a and 130".

aoA

The operation ofthe shuttle controlling and actuating devices for eachcycle of the machine is as follows:

In Figure 1 of the drawings the shuttle 281 is shown at the limit of itstravel toward the right, said shuttle having engaged the block 298 atthe right and moved the slide bar endwise toward the right. Thismovement ofslide bar 296 toward the right acts through rack 304 andsegment 302 to rock shaft 300 in a direction to cause its cam surface300, Figure 15, to retract bolt 231 which, when followed by theretraction of bolt 231?, allows spring 136g to swing shipper 136 in adirection to carry the clutch member 129 into engagement with bevel gear130% Now, when the machine is started byoperating handle ,124, asdescribed, the gear 130a acts through clutch member 129, shaft '140,drum 320 and cable 281a to move shuttle 281 across thema'chine towardthe left. As the shuttle 281 leaves the block 298, the means provided at291b, Figure 2, shifts slide bar 296 toward the left into itsintermediate position which results in positioning lthe cam surface 3005in an intermediate position so that bolt 231 is thrown forward vintosocket 136a thus locking shipper 136 against displacement until theshuttle reaches the limit of its'movement toward the left. During thetravel of the shuttle toward the left, the tube 241 is slowly movedendwise toward the left in Figure 17 by eccentric 238 acting throughlever 239, thereby compressing spring 136.V When shuttle 281 engages theblock 298 at the left and shifts slidebar 296 toward the left the latteracts through rackl 304 and segment 302 to rotate shaft 300 in aclockwise direction; Figure 15,'whereupon right.

the cam surface 300", moving from its` inter- -mediate position, actsthrough lever l227 to` by the engagement of bolt'231a with socket 136".This, of course, stops further movement of the shuttle toward the left.Shortly thereafter the shaft 235 completes its half revolution bringinga cam 233 into engagement with bell-crank lever 229 through which itacts to retract the bolt 231a whereupon the said spring 136f continuesthe movement of shipper 136, carrying the member 129 into engagementwith the gear 130". This results in reverse motion-of shaft 140 and drum320 so that the shuttle is started on its travel toward the right handside of the machine. As the shuttle passes out of engagement with theblock 298 the means at 291" restores slide bar 296 to its intermediateposition againwhich, as will be clear, returns the cam surface 300" by acontra-clockwise movement of shaft 300, to its intermediate'positionagain, thus allowing the bolt 231 to engage the socket 136" so as tolock the shipper 136 against displacement until the shuttle reaches thelimit of its travel toward the right.

Duringthis travel of the shuttle from left to right, the eccentric 238acts through lever 239 to slowly shift tube 241 in the oppositedirection, thereby compressing spring 136g preparatory to the reversalofthe position of shipper 136 which takes place when the shuttle reachesthe limit of its travel toward the by ,the shuttle from its intermediateposition thus producing a further contra-clockwise movement of shaft 300and causing the 'cam surface 300 to again retract bolt 231, whereuponthe just compressed spring 136g throws the shipper 136 toward itsneutral position where it is caught and held by the bolt 231a again.Shortly after the shuttle reaches the limit of its travel toward theright, the shaft 235 completes the half revolution accompanying thatmovement of the shuttle and one of the cams 233 acts through bell-crank229 to retract bolt 231", thus permitting the spring 136g to completethe movement of the shipper which shifts the clutch member back intoengagement with the bevel gear 130EL and restores the parts to thepositions shown in Figures 1, 15, 16 and 17.

Slide bar 296 is fastened to the rail 291 'by means of screws 297,Figure 6, extending through slots 297a rovidedin said rail 291.Projecting from te rear side of slide bar 296 is an arm 296 whichextends through a slot 291 into av box or frame 291" secured tothe rearside of rail 291.- Near its outer When the shuttle, traveling toward theright, engages the block 298 at that end 1 of slide bar 296, the latteris shifted endwise end 'this arm 296a is formed with a hole throughwhich extends a bolt or bar 296" secured at its ends to the box 291".Upon the bar 296" are mounted two springs 296c and 296d which abut attheir outer ends against the ends of box 291" and at their 1nner endsagainst washers 296" and 296f. These Washers in turn bear against theopposite sides of the arm 29,6a and also against shoulders at theopposite ends of an enlargement provided at'the middle of bar 296".It'will thus be clear that during the travel of the shuttle across themachine in either direction the two springs 296c and 296c1 serve to holdtheJ slide bar 296 in an intermediate or neutral position and that saidsli/de bar 1s free to be moved endwise by the shuttle when the latterengages either block' 298. Also that as the shuttle passes away fromeach block 298 at Athe start of its movement ineither direction' theslide bar 296 is immediately shifted into its intermediate position,thereby locking shipper 136 against movement or displacement until theslide bar is again moved endwise 'which occurs when the shuttle reachesthe opposite side of the machine.

Gear 109, Figure 13, is preferably driven by a worm 151 fasten the maindrive shaft ,V149 to which power .may be applied in any suitable manner.The above described machine operates .contlnuously and automatically toproduce lndividual laces, each -provided at its oppos1te. ends withbeaded sheet-metal tips. 1f deslred, however, the beading blades may bedispensed with so as to cause the machine to Iproduce laces with plaintips. clalm as my invention z.-

1.' In a machine of the characterdescribed,

the combination with tip applying mechanism and severing means, of alshuttle by which a continuous lace cord or the like is continuouslyengaged and delivered directly tosald mechanism; means for reciprocatingsaid shuttle back and forth past said mechanlsm in timed relation withthe latter; a pair of anchors between which said mechanism is arranged,said anchors alternately co-operating with-said vshuttle to presentmeasured lengthsv of cord to said mechanism means for operating saidanchors; a pair of transfer members between which said mechanism isarranged, and means for intermittently operating said transfer membersto cause them to grip each stretch of cord and'transfer the `same bodilysidewise to the severing means after a tip has been applied thereto bysaid mechanism.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with tip aplying mechanism and severing means, o a pair of rotatably supportedanchors between which said mechanism is arranged; a cord gui-din shuttlemovable bac-k and forth past said an-c chors to loop a continuous lacecord or the like alternately around said anchors and present a stretchthereof directly to said mechanism; means for operating said guidingshuttle; a pair of rotatably supported transfer members between Whichsaid mechanism and severing means are arranged; and means forintermittently rotating said anchors and transfer members to cause themto transfer the stretchesof cord bodily side- Wise from the tip applyingmechanism to the severing means.

3. in a machine of the character described, the combination With tipapplying mechanism and severing means, of a pair of rotatably supportedanchors; means forilooping a continuous lace cord or the likealternately around said anchors; a plurality of pairs of rotatablysupported grippers, each pair engaging the cord at each side of theplace where a tip is applied and the cord is severed; means foroperating said pairs of grippers to cause each to grip the cord andtransfer a tipped stretch thereof from the tipping mechanism to thesevering means and tohold the cord untilanother pair of grippers isclosed upon the latter.

4. in a machine of the character described., the combination with tipapplying mechanism, of means for feeding measured lengths of acontinuous lace cord or the like to saidmechanism, said cord feedingmeans comprising a shuttle continuously engagin and directly deliveringsaid cord or the li e to said mechanism; a shuttle supporting rail;

means for reciprocating said shuttle back and forth past said mechanismin timed relation with said mechanism; a pair of anchors between whichsaid mechanism is arranged, said anchors alternately cooperating withsaid 'shuttle to present measured lengths of the cord to said mechanism,and means for operating said anchors.

5. in a machine of the character described, the combination with tipapplying mechanism and severing means of a shuttle continuously engaginga lace cord or the like and deliverin the same directly to saidmechanism; a shutt e supporting rail; means for recip-roeating saidshuttle back and forth past said mechanism in timed relation with thelatter;

a pair of anchors between which said mechanism is arranged, said anchorsalternately 'ramasse co-operating with said shuttle to present measuredlen hs of cord to said mechanism; means or operating said anchors; apair of transfermembers between which said mechanism is arranged, andmeans for intermittently operating said transfer members to cause themto grip each stretch of cord, to transfer said stretch of cord bodilysidewise to the severing means after a tip has been applied thereto bysaid mechanism; and to hold said cord until the next stretch of cord hasbeen presented to said mechanism.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination with tipapplying mechanism, of means for -feedirn measured lengths of acontinuous lace cord er the like to said mechanism comprising areciprocating shuttle continuously. engaging said cord or the' operatedupon by said mechanism, and means for severing the cord and tiptransversely near the middle of the latter.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination With tipapplying mechanism, ofmeans for feeding measured lengths of a continuouslace cord or the like to said mechanism comprising a reciprocatingshuttle continuously engaging said cord or the like; means for operatingsaid shuttle to cause it to deliver measured stretches of said cord orthe like directly into position to be operated upon by said mechanism;means for severing the cord and tip transversely near the middle of thelatter, and means for transferring each stretch of cord with the appliedtip on it from said tip applying mechanism to said severing means.l

Signed at Cranston, Rhode Island this` 23rd day of July 1918.

GEORGE H. ARMITAGE.

